This marinated cheese recipe is ideal for people who make soft cheese. It’s a delicious way to flavor labneh, chevre, or kefir cheese! Perfect for adding creaminess to a low-fat cultured cheese.
Most marinated cheese recipes use feta or mozzarella. This recipe is specifically written for soft cheese. Lower-fat soft cheeses are delicious in this recipe. The olive oil provides the necessary fat to turn a dry cheese into a creamy spreading cheese.
Here are a few cheeses that I’ve used in this recipe over the years:
- Kefir cheese
- Yogurt cheese (labneh)
- Goat cheese (chevre)
Why you need to dry out soft cheese first
These soft cheeses aren’t firm enough to hold their shape when immersed in a marinade. The trick is to dry them out ahead of time.
Simply form balls of cheese, lay them out on a plate (see below) then leave them in the fridge uncovered until they have developed a firm exterior. The inside will still be soft and delicious.
Serving Suggestions
Marinated soft cheese is designed for spreading. It is not firm enough to be picked up and eaten like a cube of cheese. Here are a few ways to enjoy your marinated cheese balls.
- Spread on crackers or toast.
- On a bagel or in a sandwich.
- We love it as a crepe filling.
- It makes a great gift. (So fancy, yet simple!)
Flavor Options
Herb-infused olive oil is what gives these cheese balls their delicious flavor. There are lots of different flavor options. Here are a few of my favorite combinations:
- Za’atar is the traditional Mediterranean flavor.
- Garlic and rosemary
- Rosemary, thyme, and bay
- Lemon zest
- Chili pepper flakes
- Cracked black pepper
Herb Marinated Soft Cheese
This herb-marinated cheese recipe is ideal for people who make soft cheese. It’s a delicious way to flavor labneh, chevre, or kefir cheese! Perfect for adding creaminess to a low-fat cultured cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 pint jar 1x
- Category: Cheese
- Method: Marinated
- Cuisine: Meditarranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup low-fat soft cheese (see section above for options)
- 2 Tbsp mixed herbs and spices (see section above for flavor options)
- 1/4 cup olive oil, to cover
Instructions
- There is no added salt in this recipe, so make sure that the soft cheese is salted. If you’re using homemade cheese use about 1/2 tsp of salt per cup of cheese.
- Make bite-sized balls of cheese. I usually roll my balls by hand. It is messy, so feel free to use a small cookie scoop instead.
- Lay the balls of cheese out on a plate and put them in the fridge uncovered. Allow them to dry out for 3 to 12 hours (depending on how soft the cheese is.) The surface of the cheese balls should be dry to the touch.
- When the balls are dry enough to handle, place them in a 2-cup-glass jar along with the herbs and spices. They may stick together slightly and that’s fine. They’re going to be spread on crackers, not served on a plate. Pour in the olive oil until the cheese is completely covered.
- Allow to marinate for at least 24 hours in the fridge. Use within 2 weeks. I recommend allowing the cheese to warm to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 133
- Sugar: 0.3g
- Sodium: 105mg
- Fat: 12.3g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 0.9g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 5.4g
- Cholesterol: 13mg
Anonymous
Wonderful savory spread, it’s all flavor.